


Demotion (2x8-2x9)

by Nocticola



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Episode: s02e08 Friend or Faux, Episode: s02e09 Lockdown, F/M, Gen, The relationships are mentioned and implied but this isn't a ship fic, These were really fun but i think i'm done now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-07 16:44:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19213441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocticola/pseuds/Nocticola
Summary: Nathan has to move his stuff back from the Chief's office





	1. Chapter 1

After the selectmen fire him from his job as the chief when they find the secret Troubled files (he still doesn't know how, but he does know why), Nathan goes right back to the office to pack away his things. He puts his anger towards emptying the office from everything Wuornos, because whoever the Rev and the selectmen choose don't deserve none of it. All the photos and commendations and secret files and his scent vials. 

And the damn popcicle lamps, of course. He gathers everything into a box and takes it back to the office that was only his until Audrey came along. No one has used his old desk during the measly month he managed to be the Chief. (Everyone is so busy telling Nathan about his father now that he's gone, how he is or isn't living up to him, but as Nathan puts down the box on the empty desk, Nathan just knows that he's been nothing but a disappointment in following in Garland's foot steps.) 

He goes back to gather the lamps from the Chief's office. He's forgotten how many of them ended up around the station, the detectives office has at least two and now it will have five.

Once all the lamps are on his desk, he takes a moment to look at them. They really are something. It feels odd to him that he managed to do all of them with his numb fingers. They must have taken a lot of time. But, he does remember that he was a lonely and bullied kid when he made them. At least he has something to show for that time. They are all in surprisingly good condition. Now he just needs to figure out where to put them all. Well, that can be his worry tomorrow. Tonight he wants to get drunk and wallow.

*** 

On his first day back as a detective and with the new Chief (some guy Merrill from Brunswick), he takes the night shift. Everyone else will be at the boat festival, including Audrey... and Chris. He's happy to let her have the time off and take her shift (and to not have to be around to possibly be exposed to Audrey's date.).

It's been a while since he's done a graveyard shift, so he brings with him some donuts and coffees to his fellow sufferers and former subordinates. He also rescues Dwight from Paul Stark's overzealousness, whether it's from bigotry or just wanting to make a name for himself, Nathan doesn't know nor care. Dwight is important to this town, even if Nathan doesn't want to know what he's doing with that crossbow. 

When he gets to his new/old office, his box of stuff is untouched on his desk and Audrey is nervously looking forward to her 'non-date'.

A part of Nathan is glad he has his lamps and scents and other stuff that he needs to unpack to make his desk home-y again as he tries to be encouraging towards Audrey's thing with Chris. If Chris makes her happy, he's glad but he has no way of being objective about the situation. Chris affects his thinking. And Audrey... Audrey also affects his thinking, but Audrey doesn't need to know that.

It will be quite nice to just handle normal detective stuff, instead of having to worry about budgets and petty office politics. He can just try to decide which nooks need extra light in this office, meaning they need his popcicle lamps, and he can decorate his desk again. 

He knows how to keep busy. Although apparently that's for later, because Duke wants something from him. Weird. Well, a distraction is a distraction.


	2. Epilogue (post 2x9)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I decided to write an epilogue within the same day. This is a really fun collection to play in but I should get back to my other fics. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and the comments!

Chief Merrill is dead and the Rev keeps trying to expand his influence in Haven. Whether or not Nathan is really ready for this, or whether people accept him, he needs to take over as Chief again. More permanently this time.

This time he has more allies, he now knows he can trust Dwight, his Dad's cleaner. The situation in Haven is becoming evermore fracturing, and he knows he needs to step up and claim his position. To protect his 'kind' as people like the Rev and the selectmen keep referring to him. He has no intention of abandoning them. 

This time he knows what to do and how to handle everything. At least he hopes so. He can't be a Chief like his father. He can't hide his Troubled status and make diplomacy with people who hate him for the way he was born, hating a significant proportion of Havenites. His father did some things right, but he did them in a different world. Nathan needs to make different choices.

He settles the situation with the selectmen, and the power the Teagues wield helps him get reinstated. They probably hope that eventually a Trouble will do away with him too, soon enough. But it doesn't matter what they think.

He never did manage to really unpack his things which is good. He puts the photos and vials back into the box, picks up one of the lamps (Audrey has enough of them) and walks back to the Chief's office. His name (his father's name) will be back on the door in no time. And then both the lamps and the man are right where they belong. 


End file.
